Race Day is Going to Japan
In search of an elusive, mythical monster — wish me luck!
HAPPY RACE DAY, especially to journalist Elizabeth Blackstock, who is cooking a regional dish for the host country of each Formula One round over the course of the entire season. You can follow along on her Substack called Grand Prix Gastronomy.
I absolutely love this idea. It mashes her love of motorsports with her love of cooking, and aims to increase cultural awareness around the world. What’s the national dish of Belgium? Singapore? Azerbijan? No clue! Can’t wait to find out.
Here’s this week’s top article.
Foreign Lands
I ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK that Carrara Media is now my full-time gig, and I promised myself I would lean all the way in. Well, I’m fully leaning now. Next month I’ll visit Japan to report on car culture, and conduct research for my next book.
It goes without saying this is a huge step. I’ve been planning and arranging contacts for weeks and am thrilled that it’s come together. I believe in my heart that this will drastically improve and enrich the reporting I bring back and share with you.
I’m massively honored to set foot in a place that has contributed so much to automotive history and fostered a vibrant culture with wide-ranging impacts far across the globe — particular in my main area of focus: Millennial car culture. In so many ways Japan has given us amazing treasures (while in other ways, it’s left us wanting) and I can’t wait to explore these stories.
This trip is fully self-funded and would not be possible without your support for Carrara Media so far. If you’re willing to support further, please become a paid Race Day subscriber below. This newsletter will always be free, but your help makes our most ambitious projects possible. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I’m not ready to announce the subject of the new book yet. Some people reading this already know (because I’ve bugged them incessently for help) and others will probably have a pretty good guess. Any ideas? Drop a comment below and let’s see, haha.
In the meantime, stay tuned for updates and follow my personal Instagram for news. There’s still lots of planning to do, so if you have recommendations — whether it’s cars, food, roads, sneakers, etc. — please let me know!
Want to see more of my writing on cars? Well, you can certainly read that Road & Track story from 2017 that kick-started Phase II of my automotive journalism career. That article gave me the confidence to write my 2019 book Slow Car Fast which you can order, too!
What about other projects? Well our latest title is Postcards From the End of the World, and I’m thrilled to work with author and photographer Victoria Scott on this groundbreaking work. Initial preorders are going out this week! Watch your inboxes for tracking numbers and your front porches for packages!
Culture
A QUICK WORD on AI-generated journalism, since the rise of software like ChatGTP directly threatens my future career prospects. If you don’t believe me, A) the website CNET has already experimented with AI articles and B) here’s one system churning out bland copy that I’m sure has several media CEOs frothing at the mouth:
The question isn’t whether AI can produce content worthy of publishing. (Eventually, the accuracy and personality will improve.) To me, it’s how do writers and creators carve a lane for themselves as AI slowly becomes more prominent? It’s true that you can look up stats from anywhere, as this RS3 “article” proves. So what sets you apart? What makes your human experience different or better than this simulated one?
I think readers will always prefer a real, tangible voice — but I’m less confident there will always be outlets publishing them. In my opinion we’ll increasingly be pushed to create our own outlets and channels, be they on social media or YouTube or newsletters or publishing companies, or all of them. Carrara was always “insurance” to me, in a way. Before long, self-run ecosystems like it may be less of a last resort for creators. And more their only option.
HONDA IS CLOSING its private museum in Torrance, CA and it’s a shame because that place is awesome. I had the chance to visit a couple of times and always came away shocked by the cultural impact of so many of its models. I mean, talk about a brand that dominated the ‘90s. I’ll miss it!
WHILE ONE CULTURAL CENTERPIECE CLOSES, another one opens. And another. And another. Last week I got to see Garage And Social, the Hagerty-owned storage and hangout spot in L.A. with others like it across the country. You can see my posts about it here and here, and IG Reels on some of the cars here and here.
Places like G+S are popping up as enthusiasts look to share car culture with others IRL. I’ve covered AutoConduct and its vibey shows and retail store, and The Motoring Club recently christened new digs with an impressive fleet of Fast And Furious movie cars. These spaces are attempting to wrest control of the car world away from social media and provide experiences rich with modernity and taste. At a price, of course. But still — experiences are king right now.
Video Reel
THE NEW SEASON of Drive to Survive on Netflix begins Friday. This is not a drill!
F1 won’t allow me to embed the preview trailer here (because its leadership makes the NFL look progressive) so you’ll have to click here to watch it. Last year’s F1 season wasn’t the most exciting, but it appears there’s no shortage of fireworks in the series.
GREAT VIDEO from Donut Media showing the high-tech tools used by IndyCar crews. It’s so cool to see how the motorsports world is truly light-years ahead of the rest of us. Now I’m counting down the days to the Long Beach Grand Prix again.
Race Results
IN ADDITION to the Netflix series, there’s actual F1 action on the way, too! The season kicks off its preseason practice schedule in Bahrain. This video does a nice job of pointing out what to watch for from different teams and drivers.
WITH F1 STARTING shortly it’s important to remember that the series’ governing body issued new rules meant to discourage political statements. Given the outspoken response to the Black Lives Matter movement led by Lewis Hamilton in 2020 it’s difficult to see this as anything other than a crackdown directed at him.
Motorsports journalist Hazel Southwell (and friend of Race Day) keenly pointed out that while the ban is exactly what it sounds like, there is room for the media to play an outsized role in getting social messages out.
Hamilton, for his part, expressed that the new rules won’t stop him from voicing an opinion when necessary. “I’m going to continue to be me and continue to fight for things I’m passionate about,” he said.
AND WHILE WE’RE ON THE TOPIC of F1, it would be nice to hear more details about the inaugural women-only F1 Academy season set to kick off this year. So far teams have announced their drivers but no word on a schedule. Let’s see it!
Ask A Millennial Gen Z! Jensen McDonald, 17
I CAME ACROSS Jensen’s Instagram page while scouring for coverage of last year’s Amelia Island auctions. He has a magnetic style that gives the subjects life and texture. It helps that his vintage techniques work great with cars from the ‘80s and ‘90s. (I highly recommend you follow him.) I figured he might have interesting perspectives on car culture at large, and that turned out to be true. Here is an edited version of our conversation.
I don't feel I have a distinct style of photography. Though many people tell me they know my photos when they see them saying I have an "airy" and "natural" editing style. Inspiration comes from many things, most commonly other photographers. Recently, however, I've found inspiration from music by painting a scene with a specific car in my mind that fits with the song while I'm listening.
Amelia last year was fantastic. I met many people I had never met in person and had only previously talked to online. It was great to meet them in an environment where you can be nerdy about cars and not get looked at funnily. Although I cannot attend this year, I will for sure be following the show's progress through friends and social media apps. Seeing how much cars go for will be interesting.
As just about any 17-year-old male would say, yes, people my age are into cars. However, most people aren't into cars in the same manner as me. While I'm more into European cars, they like things like Chargers, Challengers and other muscle cars — primarily anything with a Hellcat engine. While I appreciate these cars, I find Hellcats obnoxious sometimes. These same people are more attracted to "Takeover" and "Slideshow" events than Amelia Island.
One thing about car culture I want to see is for everyone to appreciate and respect each other and welcome newcomers to the community with open arms.
Auction Block
AS JENSEN SAID, there are plenty of interesting cars coming to Amelia Island next week. I’ll write more in-depth later, but here’s what I’m watching:
Gooding is offering Ferraris galore including a potentially-$20M stunner, and I also like their wide selection of RUF Porsches. Personally though I’m a sucker for the Kremer 962C that raced Le Mans. Just look at it.
RM Sotheby’s has a long list of Ferraris (where are all these Dinos coming from?) and the Pagani I wrote about last week, but I’m particularly focused on this Jaguar XJR-15 in a perfectly tubular ‘90s-era teal.
Broad Arrow is owned by Hagerty and, being new on the scene, typically skews more niche. But they still have heavy hitters. Try this RS200 Evo or that trio of bare-carbon McLarens in my IG Reel above, plus an XJR-15 of their own.
Leaning into the Millennial resurgence is Bonham’s, with a fantastic Nissan R34 GT-R Mine’s tribute car that pays homage to an iconic Japanese GT-R tuner. This baby is… unmatched. There’s no other word. I’m in awe. They also have an R32 GT-R JTCC racecar. Swoon.
And Finally…
IT’S BEEN the hottest video on YouTube for days now, but it needs to be shared here. YouTuber Whistlin’ Diesel is famous for destroying prized cars, trucks and basically anything else of value. This time he wrangled a brand-new Ferrari F8 Tributo. Did he tone it down? Nope. Enjoy. (The ending is almost unbelievable.)
Drive hard and be safe. Black Lives Matter.
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Awesome! We’ll need you to post a story about all of the vending machine drinks consumed! I can’t wait to get back there myself; a lovely country and culture overall.